Simon De Senlis Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The manager and staff team have a strong and shared understanding of what they want children to learn. The highly effective curriculum is carefully sequenced to help children build on what they know already. Staff place a high focus on promoting children's well-being and social skills. They help children begin to be aware of themselves and their feelings, as well as learn mindfulness skills, which contribute to a calm and harmonious atmosphere.

Staff provide all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, with high quality interactions as they play alongside them. Children with SEND make rapid progress, and with sensitive and tailored support from staff, they take a full role with their friends at pre-school.

Staff's positive involvement with children promotes children's concentration. Staff encourage children to follow their own ideas and skilfully make suggestions to extend their interest and play. This positive approach contributes to all children making rapid progress and learning important skills for their future. Children's behaviour is exceptionally good. They make friendships, are excited to take part in the activities and remain deeply engaged. Children talk together to organise which direction they want the chalked arrows to go when they ride balance bicycles.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The manager works superbly well with the staff team. The highly effective team show passion and commitment to promote children's well-being and learning. Staff continually reflect on and improve their knowledge. Staff comment on how much they learn from each other in relation to their teaching practice and how to enhance how they interact with the children to help them make the best possible progress.
• Staff are skilled in promoting children's communication skills. They speak clearly to children to ensure they understand and introduce new vocabulary. Children listen to staff and repeat new words, such as footprint and damp when they play in the sand. Children are increasingly confident to speak as part of a group and take turns to say what they are good at. Children smile with pride when they are praised for sharing.
• Staff skilfully introduce mathematical concepts, such as halves, quarters, and shape names, such as semi-circle and crescent. Children explore play dough, making pretend pizzas and play card games where they match shapes. Children cut the play dough into halves and quarters. They show excitement as they anticipate which shape card will come out of the pack and call out semi-circle! Children know that when semi-circles are put together they make a circle.
• Children rapidly develop skills that contribute to their independence and help prepare them for starting school. The staff invite children to be snack monitors. Children enjoy taking on this role and are confident to prepare the snack with minimal help from staff. Staff give children time to practice their talents and interests. Children are eager to show how they clasp their hands together to play volleyball. Staff show a genuine interest and promote children's confidence as they praise them and ask them where they learned this skill.
• Staff make excellent use of opportunities to promote children's oral health. When children start, they are given a toothbrush, toothpaste, and information for parents about how to care for their children's teeth. Staff talk to children, who become deeply engaged as they enthusiastically brush model dinosaurs' teeth. Conversation flows, and staff extend children's learning. They show a sand timer to illustrate how long two minutes is. Detailed conversations and highly effective interactions from staff help consolidate children's awareness of this aspect of self-care.
• Staff ensure that children and parents feel valued and fully part of the pre-school. Parents appreciate the daily feedback they receive, which helps them continue their children's learning at home. Information parents share from home about their child's achievements and interests is valued by staff and incorporated into the planning. This highly successful partnership working significantly contributes to children receiving a consistent and individually tailored approach to their care and learning.
• Children are involved in all aspects of the pre-school. The highly positive relationship staff have with children results in them showing a true sense of belonging and well-being. They are motivated and curious to try new experiences. Children understand the expectations for behaviour and show respect, care and concern for one another.